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The Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on TNF-α and IL-10 Secretion by Murine Peritoneal Cells In Vitro

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Lipids

Abstract

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) affect immune response, partly by affecting cytokine secretion. Omega-3 PUFA decrease tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α secretion by RAW 264.7 macrophages but increase TNF-α secretion by primary elicited peritoneal macrophages in vitro. In this study, the effects of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA on lipopolysaccharide induced TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-10 secretion by murine primary resident and elicited peritoneal macrophages and by RAW 264.7 macrophages, were examined in vitro using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, the effects of dietary omega-3 PUFA on the number of cells secreting these cytokines were examined with enzyme-linked immunospot assay. All cell types secreted more TNF-α but similar amounts of IL-10 when incubated with the omega-3 PUFA, eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid, compared with that when incubated with the omega-6 PUFA, linoleic acid or arachidonic acid. Dietary fish oil did not affect the number of TNF-α secreting resident peritoneal macrophages but decreased the number of macrophages secreting IL-10 ex vivo. These results show that dietary omega-3 PUFA and omega-3 PUFA added to cells in vitro increase TNF-α secretion by resident peritoneal macrophages, probably by a direct effect on the cells. In contrast, omega-3 PUFA did not affect IL-10 secretion by the cells but decreased the number of cells secreting IL-10 ex vivo, possibly by affecting cell recruitment, maturation or proliferation.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from the Icelandic Research Fund, Graduate Education Fund (IHS), and The University of Iceland Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Vatnsmyrarvegur 16, 101, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Ingibjorg H. Skuladottir, Dagbjort H. Petursdottir & Ingibjorg Hardardottir

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  1. Ingibjorg H. Skuladottir
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  2. Dagbjort H. Petursdottir
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  3. Ingibjorg Hardardottir
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Correspondence to Ingibjorg Hardardottir.

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Skuladottir, I.H., Petursdottir, D.H. & Hardardottir, I. The Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on TNF-α and IL-10 Secretion by Murine Peritoneal Cells In Vitro. Lipids 42, 699–706 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-007-3081-1

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